New Zealand Cricket (NZC) has announced that Tom Latham will lead their men’s One-Day International (ODI) team in the upcoming three-match series against Sri Lanka. The decision was made as regulars such as Kane Williamson will be playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL). The IPL 2023 is set to start on the same day the ODI series ends, March 31.

Williamson, along with Tim Southee, Devon Conway and Mitchell Santner, will be released early from the current Test series against Sri Lanka to participate in the IPL. Finn Allen, Lockie Ferguson and Glenn Phillips will also leave the squad after the first ODI to join their respective IPL teams.

The first ODI of the New Zealand versus Sri Lanka series is scheduled for March 25, and the remaining matches will be played on March 28 and March 31. Despite the absence of some key players, the BlackCaps will be looking to continue their impressive form in limited-overs cricket.

The team will also see the return of Tom Blundell and Will Young, while Chad Bowes and Ben Lister, who are uncapped players, have been called up to the squad. Additionally, Mark Chapman and Henry Nicholls will join the squad ahead of the second ODI, providing more options for the team management.

“Chad has been impressive for a number of seasons at the top of the order for Canterbury as well as being an excellent fielder,” head coach Gary Stead said in his official statement.

“We are set to play 16 white ball matches between now and the start of May so there will be a number of chances for players to test themselves in familiar and unfamiliar conditions.

“Tom Blundell, in particular, is someone who we’ve been hugely impressed by in international cricket over the past 18 months as a leader in the test team and then domestically with the Wellington Firebirds.”

New Zealand ODI squad for Sri Lanka series:

Tom Latham (captain), Finn Allen (1st ODI), Tom Blundell, Chad Bowes, Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman (2nd and 3rd ODI), Lockie Ferguson (1st ODI), Matt Henry, Ben Lister (2nd and 3rd ODI), Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls (2nd and 3rd ODI), Glenn Phillips (1st ODI), Henry Shipley, Ish Sodhi, Blair Tickner, Will Young.

Source – Cricket Times
-Agencies